Killian groaned, the dull ache in his head gradually increasing into a steady throb. He tried to reach up and soothe the pounding at his temples, frowning when he found it impossible to move either arm. His eyes snapped open as he strained against…the rock encasing his forearms.

A low chuckle reverberated against the walls of the cave as Cora stepped out of the shadows. "Now Hook, I would have thought you would know better by now." She drifted towards him, the small smile on her lips making cold sweat bead at the base of his neck.

He still managed to fake a smile, his lips twisting into the much-familiar playful grin that had gotten him out of many a tight spot, and he inclined his head ever so slightly. "Cora. Always lovely to see you." He glanced down at his unusual restraints and then back at her, his eyebrow arching mischievously. "Being a little formal though, aren't we?"

Cora just smiled back at him and reached to unlock his hook from the bracket that had been attached to his wrist. "This really is a fine bit of metal work, but I wonder; have you ever been on the business end?" Killian swallowed hard as she traced the point up the inside of his arm, slowly across his collarbone, and then down the opening of his tunic. "I'm a big believer in knowing all of your tools intimately. When you can, that is." She removed the point from his skin and held it before her face to examine it a moment, a small sigh escaping her lips as she set it aside. "I don't really have that luxury, though."

Her hand plunged into his chest without warning, her fingers tightening painfully around his heart for a moment before she pulled it out of his body. Killian gasped at the pain, a wave of nausea threatening to overwhelm him. "What does that feel like?" Cora asked, his glowing heart clutched tightly in her claw-like fingers. "Such a small organ, you'd think it wouldn't make that much of a difference, but I've been told that even the most potent of memories lose their edge. For example, what do you think of when I say 'revenge?'"

Killian supposed she meant for him to think of Rumplestiltskin, to remember just why he needed her, but he was assaulted instead by thoughts of Emma. He closed his eyes, frowning as he found that his memories were losing every emotion that had been associated with them: the frustration, the confusion, even the wonder, curiosity, and trust that she had evoked in his breast against every effort on his part to keep those emotions at bay. Everything was bleeding away, no matter how he grasped at it, and Killian was surprised to find that he didn't want them to go. The truth was that, even though she had betrayed him as surely as sliding a knife between his ribs, he had felt more during their brief time together than he had for years before, and he didn't want to lose those feelings. He gasped, trying to hold them closer and yet failing at every attempt.

Cora watched his face, her grin growing as Killian's panic increased. "It's true. If I were to keep your heart, you would lose your emotions to such an extent as to have no real desire or purpose—save that which I gave you." Killian's chin lowered to rest on his chest, exhausted and losing both his ability and will to fight, but she followed, her head tilting to the side and lowering so that she stayed in his field of vision. "Lucky for you that you are more use to me with your desire for revenge intact." Her hand plunged back into his chest, twisting as she settled his heart back in place before removing her hand with agonizing slowness, leaving him gasping from the pain, the emotions rushing back in an almost overwhelming tide. She grasped his chin between thumb and finger, forcing his head back. "The moment you cease to be useful," Cora whispered, the muscle under her eye twitching dangerously, "I will take it and not give it back."

She stepped back a moment then turned to go, the rock binding him melting away with a careless waive of her hand. Killian fell to his knees, his good hand pressed over his aching heart. "Was that your version of keelhauling?" he croaked as he tried to regain his footing.

Cora laughed. "No, dear, you only keelhaul people you didn't expect to betray you." Killian's hand froze as he reached for his hook, cold dread blossoming in the pit of his stomach. "Come, Hook. We have a little birdie to catch."